Clothespin



Feb. 6, 1951 s, GARDNER 2,540,722

CLUTl-IESPIN Filed April 50, 1948 INVENTOR. flspa ,5". 627/1706 Patented Feb. 6, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CLOTHESPTNV" g V Espa s. Gardner, North Platte, Nebr.

Application April 30, 1948, Serial No. 24,290

3 Claims. (Cl. 24-137) This invention relates to an improved construction of clothespin and constitutes an improvement on my prior U. S. Letters Patent No.

1,992,863, issued February 26, 1935 entitled Clothespin and has for its primary object to provide a clothespin embodying the improvements and advantages of said aforementioned patent and which is of a much simpler construction comprising fewer parts and capable of b eingmore economically manufactured and sold, yet which will be equally as durable and efficient for its intended purpose.

Still afurther and very important object of the invention is to provide a novel connection between the jaws of the clothespin and its resilient means whereby when the 'jaws are spread for insertion onto a clothesline and clothes therein, as the line and portion of. the clothes engaged thereby is moved inwardly between the jaws, said jaws will assume a closed position at their outer ends for effectively retaining the clothesline and clothes in engagement therewith.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a clothespin which is so constructed that the clamping action imparted by the jaws will be transmitted primarily to a portion of the jaws disposed below a clothesline engaged thereby for clamping the clothes beneath the line rather than I for clampin the clothes against the line.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become fully. apparent from the following description of the drawing, illustrating a presently preferred embodiment thereof, and wherein: I

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the clothespin showing the jaws in a fully closed position;

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the jaws being initially opened by engagement of a clothesline therewith;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figures 1 and 2 but showing the jaws in the position which they will assume after the clothesline has assumed a fully applied position;

Figure 4 is an edge elevational view clothespin;

Figure 5 is an enlarged cross sectional view thereof taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 5-5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the ciothespin jaws. and

Figure '7 is aperspective view of the clothespin spring.

Referring more specifically to the drawing, the novel clothespin in its entirety and which is designated generally 8 includes two corresponding jaw of the opposite end l4 which extends transversely of the jaw 9 and opens outwardly of one side edge. thereof. The opposite side edge of the jaw 9 is provided with an upper extension or ear 15 which projects above the upper end l3. The jaws 9, as best seen inFigures 1, 2 and 3 are provided with inner substantially flat sides l6 which are normally disposed in abutting engagement when the clothespin 8 is not in use and which inner sides or surfaces l5 are provided with beveled or flared outer ends I! which diverge with respect to oneanother to form the entrance' mouth of the.

clothespin 8 adapted to receive a clothesline l8 therein, as illustrated in Figure 1.

The spring device l l), as best illustrated in Figure '7, is formed from a relatively heavy gauged strand of resilient wire the intermediate portion of which is looped to provide a spring coil [9 from which the terminals of the strand project from opposite ends of the convolutions of the 0011 IE to form corresponding downwardly extending legs 20 having inturned terminals 2| which extend in opposite directions with respect to one another. The legs 20 are spring biased by the coil l9 toward one another.

The spring device so is disposed with the coil above and adjacent the ends l3 of the jaws 9 and with the legs 29 engaging in the grooves I2 and with their angular terminal. portions 2| engaging in the transverse groove portions M, as best illustrated in Figure 4. With the spring legs 20 thus disposed in engagement with the grooves l2 the spring coil is will be disposed in substantially an upright position above the ends l3 of the jaws 9 and with portions thereof positioned between the ears !5 which will thus function in cooperation with the grooves I! to prevent lateral displacement of the spring device l0 relatively to the jaws S! and thus provide an efficient construction of clothespin embodying only three parts, the two jaws 9 and the spring device In.

The clothespin 8 is illustratedin Figures 1, 2 and 3 being applied to a clothesline l8 and it will be readily apparent that the clotheslinewould ordinarily be covered by clothing or other articles to be held suspended thereon by the clothespin 8 and which is not shown. The clothespin 8 is initially positioned over the line l8, as illustrated in Figure 1 and as the clothespin is pressed downwardly onto the line l8 the lower ends of the jaws 9 will be spread out- 5 wardly pivotingat the upper portions of the abuttingsurfaoes l6 and spreading the legs by engagement of the intermediate portions of the jaws 9 with the leg portions 2|. As the jaws move downwardly: over-the clothesline lll tonal p and as the clothespin is further forced down- 5 wardly over the line Hi this pivotahrmovement will continue causing. the lower portions of the jaws to move into abutting engagemenf'adj'a cent the flared surfaces ll. It will thus be read ily apparent that if alpiece of clothing, not 20 shown, is suspended from,th lline- [8 it lwillhbe. clamped b'y the jaw surfaces ls adjacentwtheir lower *ends so" that the principal clamping ac-. tion on the clothing wiilbe below the clotheslirie I8'. 'Itl 'willfalsob'ereadily apparentTth'at contrary taconventidn'al clothespins where .there is:a"tendency for the cloth'espiri to disengage it; self, the'spring device' 1H3" 'will' exert a springjoiasing actiorron the jaws! in sucha'manner-asto 4 tions of the legs being angularly disposed relatively to the elongated leg portions for engag ing the transversely disposed ends of the grooves.

2. A clothespin comprising a pair of corre sponding jaws each having a groove in its outer side,. a spring device comprising a spring coil having legs'projecting from each end thereof; said legs engaging the grooves of the jaws and being spring biased toward one another for normally holding; the opposite} iIiIIEIESidES of the: a

jaws inabirtting engagement, theterminal portions of the spring legs forming pivots for portions of said grooves on which the jaws pivot relatively to the legs whereby the jaws will be caused to move to closed position beneath a clotheslineiorithe like as it is moved upwardly between said jaws,.said grooves extending longi tudin'allyofthe' jaws and opening outwardly of corresponding ends thereof, each of said grooves having an angularly disposed opposite end extending. transversely.v oi thej aw; (and a said legs having, elongated Lpol'tiOIiS: engagingthe longiemommy; extending portions 0i: =said grooves and being-normally spaced from thebeds of said ldngit'udinal .igroove .portions and said terminal portions otQthTe legs beingrangularly.disposed rel-. atively; to lthelelonga'te'd 'leg .portions f orv engage ing the transverselyv disposed ends of the grooves,

said grooves -cooperatingz.withnthe legs for reurge the "clothesli'ne I 8 inwardly of said i jawsl 0i taining'the jaws properlypositioned with respect when it"is disposediab'ove the level '"of Flthe spring; terminals -2l so that therewill'be noctendncy. ofth'e clothespinitodisengage itself'fromwthei use or the clotheszengageditherebyand a posi;

ti'vedorce "will be requiredz'to 'cause' the -..spring,

legs--2fito yield outwardly topermitthe jaws 9;

to* disenga'ge'from the line. r I The coil "I Qcomprises a: plurality of convolutions; preferablyw two which"are;contr'actile for,

biasing thelegs 20 'towardpn'eanother to urge g0.

the jaws to 'a-'--clo'sed"positiont The'extent that the coil 1 I9 'is* wound'-can"ivary depending upon the requirements of-its user. For 'hol'dingheavy material where a considerable I spring: pressure is required, the coil 19 is woundfti'gliter than for use in 'holding lighter materials:

Vario'us' modifications and changes are contemplated 1 and: may-'obviouslvbe resorted to, without departing '"from the "spirit or scope of v J pended-claims.

Iclaim as my invention? 1. AA-clothespin comprising a" pairof lcorre spending jaws each having ;a groove inxits outer V sidea m-spring device-comprisingaspringicoiL 'havm'g legs projecting ir'omleacli end thereof;

' having elongated portions engaging the longitu t dinallyextending portion'of said groovesandbe inginormally spacedafriom the bedsl=of saidlongi; tudinal groove"r portions, and-said terminal por to .oneanother .and l-lto the springs device.

3. A clothespin comprising a pair. ofvcor re:

spondingjaws eachlhaving a groove in its outer side flaispringfievice comprising va spring coilh'avin'gjegs projectinggfrom each end 'theifleoii said legs engaging thegrooves .of .the jaws and being, spring joiased towardl'one another .for nor: mally holdings, the opp'ositeginner sides of thejawsin abutting; engagement, the terminal "portions of the springlegs.forminglpivots for portions of saidiigroovesfon which thewjawspivot relatively'to'the IegsWhereby, the jaws will "be caused to move to closed position beneath a clothesline or"the'1ike 'asl'it.'is;moved upwardly 4 between said jaws,"said 'gr.ooves extending ,longie- "tudinally of ithe jaws and 'openingjzoutwa'rdly of corresponding ends thereof, each of saidgrooves havingan angularly"disposed opposite end extendingtransversely.of"thei jaw; and said legs having elongated portions'engaging the longitudinallywxtending portions ..of said grooves and being normally; spaced .fr'om'the beds of said longitudinafgroove portions; and "said terminalportions of the legsbei'ng angularlydispcsed rel 'atively to the elongated legfp'o'ftion's for engaging the transverselyv'wdisposed ends of the grooves, andsai'd'laterallyturnedterminals of the spring legs"--fdrming;the pivots or 'fulcrums on which the jaws pivot relatively tothe spring device. 1

ESPA S.-GARDNER.-

REFERENflESCITED' The following references are of rec'ord'in the file. 'of ithisipatent;

UNITED STATES PATENTS;

Number Name Date 7 1,922,363 Gardner F b: 26,1935

FOREIGN. PATENTS Number Country Date 1159, 253 Australia NOV. 20, 1944 24,587 V Australia Aug. 18, 1936 of- 1935 

